Most viewed - "Epic White Cloud Backpacking Loop" revisited, August 16, 2022
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DSCF0559.JPG9 viewsFrom the ridge south of Ants Basin, close on one of the White Cloud Peaks northeast of Ants Basin.
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DSCF0491.JPG8 viewsLooking southeast, further up into Bighorn Basin.
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DSCF0496.JPG8 viewsFrom the D. O. Lee/WCP-9 saddle, the view northwest beyond Bighorn Basin. Right of center is the entrance to Iron Basin where I came from. Three quarters to left of frame, close to skyline, is summit of Watson Peak. Just right of center, vertically in the center, is the horn I climbed behind. A faint goat trail leads toward the bottom right corner of the frame.
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DSCF0499.JPG8 views5 mountain goats, including two lambs, came bolting down from the D. O. Lee/WCP-9 saddle to this spot above the cascading waterfall that leads down to Cirque Lake on the left. One lamb split off from the group, staying high above the tarn. The others gathered just in front of the rock in the center of the photo. I turned around to put the long lens on my camera, but when I turned back, they had vanished. There were tracks in the snow.
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DSCF0500.JPG8 viewsThis appears to be the juvenile, high above the tarn, keeping a close eye on me.
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DSCF0510.JPG8 viewsI fished at Cove, then climbed back up to Cirque, fishing Sapphire on the way back. I used grasshoppers with disappointing results. They were biting, but not very big. This one was just big enough to keep, and added some high quality protein, to the abundant food I carried in.
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DSCF0512.JPG8 viewsThe “Cheese Grater”, the route to the more southerly Boulder Chain Lakes can be seen on frame right in this photo. The threatening weather turned to thundershowers an hour or so later, but not before I was able to cook my trout; delicious! It rained for about 45 minutes, but I was able to get outside afterward, and finish preparing for good night’s sleep.The “Cheese Grater”, the route to the more southerly Boulder Chain Lakes can be seen on frame right in this photo. The threatening weather turned to thu
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DSCF0519.JPG8 viewsThe route descending from Cove Lake to Island Lake descends close to the far side of the rock fall, under the buttress. WCP-9 is seen on the skyline. The route I’m taking to cross into Boulder Chain Lakes Basin avoids contouring to the left (south) through all that scree.
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DSCF0547.JPG8 viewsThe rain continues in earnest, despite blue sky to the west. I put on my mountain parka, and use the rain cover for my pack. If it gets worse, I have gaiters, and rain pants, but being optimistic, I hold off for now. The fishing is usually pretty good here, but I press on, wanting to reach the car in the light—unlike my last trip here!
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DSCF0557.JPG8 viewsFrom the ridge south of Ants Basin, Peak 10111, (left foreground) north of Blackman Peak, northwest, and above Ants Basin. Strawberry Basin (further beyond left frame line), which I passed through five days ago, is west of Peak 10111'.
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DSCF0486.JPG7 viewsThe trail appears when the sides of the basin constrict the choice of path. Finally heading downhill, toward some steep switchbacks. Someone I asked to do this trip with me years ago complained, “too much up and down!”. Isn’t that what the mountains are about?
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DSCF0494.JPG7 viewsI arrive at the D. O. Lee/WCP-9 saddle about 5 pm, an hour and a half after starting. I can see rain falling to the east-southeast, and felt a few drops on the ascent, but there was none of the feared lightning. Below is the inlet to Cirque Lake. Below that is Sapphire and Cove Lakes, all in the Big Boulder Lakes Basin.
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